We hope you all had a great return to school this week! We certainly enjoyed welcoming back so many of you. :)
Here is what your future scientists have been up to this week…
EVERYDAY
MYSTERIES
Why does a fizzy drink explode into a sticky mess when shaken and opened? This week, we tackled this bubbling mystery by uncovering what makes drinks fizzy in the first place! By forcing carbon dioxide into water under high pressure, we create a delicate balance where gas stays dissolved until that balance is disturbed. When shaken, tiny bubbles form throughout the liquid, creating countless nucleation sites where gas can escape. Twist off the cap, and with the sudden pressure drop, the gas rushes out all at once! From sparkling water to the classic Coke and Mentos reaction, our scientists unleashed fountains of fizz and discovered that sometimes, the key to avoiding a mess is simply patience- giving those bubbles time to settle back down.
A FANTASTIC
VOYAGE WITHIN
There is only one real way into the body: through the digestive system. This week, our explorers followed the journey of food from mouth to… well, the very end. Starting with teeth that cut and grind, we discovered how digestion begins as a mechanical process, turning food into a manageable paste with the help of saliva. Then, muscles take over, squeezing food along the alimentary canal in a wave-like motion called peristalsis. Inside the stomach, enzymes & acid continue the breakdown, before a long trip through the intestines, where nutrients are absorbed, and the leftovers are prepared for exit. By transforming bread into “fake poo,” our scientists recreated this entire journey, discovering that digestion is less about what goes in and more about what the body chooses to keep.
CHEMISTRY IN
PLAIN SIGHT
Potions are all about mixing, but some substances seemingly refuse to play ball and remain staunchly independent! The students got molecular as they sought to understand the science behind why oils and water don’t mix! Astonishingly, this same science allows life to build cells. A game of hydrophilic and hydrophobic heads and tails drives these barriers, which can cause serious issues, from simple greasy hands to environment-damaging oil slicks. Then, they used their knowledge of chemistry to create a fragrant solution to these problems.
